France

Pastis du Zeppelin 44.8° - 70cl

Awen Nature Distillery

We first admire the magnificent label, and then we discover the bouquet. The nose of this certified organic pastis is fresh and aniseed, the palate is very fresh and delicately spiced. But pastis in Brittany? Of course. Besides, if you know how to make absinthe, you know how to make pastis, the latter being one of the spirits that replaced absinthe after it was banned in 1915. Pastis, since then, has become a product of Provence and especially Marseille, but nothing prevents the existence of a Breton pastis. This one gets its taste from a combination of thirteen distilled plants, always with a dominance of green anise and complex, spicy and herbaceous notes: fennel, star anise, angelica root, coriander, cinnamon, orange, iris, licorice, nutmeg, clove. The whole thing is very fresh, as befits a pastis. All that remains is to dilute it with fresh water.

To find out more
The Awen Nature distillery is a factory of magic potions: beverages with a strong Celtic content, organic liqueurs with a strong touch of poetry. This Breton distillery, located in Ille-et-Vilaine and run by Julien Fanny, initially devoted itself to absinthe, a liqueur that Julien helped to rehabilitate. It's not "the liqueur that makes you crazy," he says: "we were already crazy before." » He strives—successfully—to recreate the taste of yesteryear, that of absinthes that were once given to children on a sugar cube as a dewormer. “You need a touch of madness to be a distiller today,” says Julien. In addition to absinthe, Julien distills a wide range of spirits and liqueurs: gins, vodkas, botanical rums, Swedish elixir, concoctions inspired by role-playing games… All made from plants, respecting the environment, without preservatives or artificial flavors. An ode to plants that the korrigans must sip in secret, at night, on the moors.

Feel Good Savagnin Qvevris Blanc 2020,

Frédéric Cossard


The particular energy of Savagnin, a typical white grape variety from the Jura, is expressed through this Feel Good from the Qvevris series, beautifully taut and aromatic. By combining fifty-year-old vines grown on a Jurassic marl plot in Rotalier (Jura), direct pressing and ten months of ageing in qvevri (a buried Georgian-style terracotta jar, which deepens and smooths the wines), we obtain this Feel Good Savagnin, a sublime and complex expression of this wonderful grape variety, with a slight bite, freshness, tension and plenty of spice. Note: since the name of the grape variety cannot be mentioned on the label if the grapes are vinified outside the Jura region, Frédéric Cossard has substituted “Feel Good” because “savagnin is fine”.
To find out more
Through his entirely natural work, Frédéric Cossard gives voice to the terroirs and Burgundy wines, undistorted by agricultural chemicals. Having observed, during his years of trading, the existence of harmful wine-growing practices, the winemaker used this counter-example to practice unadulterated viticulture. Thus, he produces vintages of purity and elegance without artifice which are among the most sought-after in Burgundy. Frédéric worked for a time as a wine broker before creating the Chassorney estate with his partner Laure in 1996: initially a few ares of vines in Saint-Romain, Auxey-Duresses and Savigny-lès-Beaune, and currently ten hectares spread across the Nuits-Saint-Georges, Pommard, Volnay, Bourgogne-Hautes-Côtes-de-Beaune and Bourgogne appellations. In 2006, he created his own wine merchant company and purchased organic grapes to vinify, according to his style and convictions, great vintages such as Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet, Pommard, Nuits-Saint-Georges, Chambolle-Musigny, Vosne-Romanée and several Beaujolais vintages. The practice is not limited to Burgundy, as vintages are made from grapes purchased in the Jura, Languedoc and elsewhere. At his place, the work of the soil and the vines is done as naturally as possible: regular plowing by horse, no addition of chemical fertilizers or weedkillers. The vines are cared for according to the principles of biodynamics: homeopathic treatments based on essential oils, copper and sulfur in minimal doses. The harvest is entirely manual, carried out at full maturity, at the end of October. Red or white, classic Burgundies or more atypical or less "regional" bottles, Frédéric's vintages are rare and sought-after wines, which sometimes require waiting.

Cotillon des Dames Blanc 2020,

Jean-Yves Péron
Côtillon des Dames 2020 is a very refined, fruity wine to be savored. It is a white wine of great aromatic complexity, elegant and fruity, with a superb length on the palate. The winemaker has done everything possible to preserve the aroma and character of the Jacquère grape variety, present in the majority here, and the length and maturity of the Altesse and Roussanne. This is one of Jean-Yves Péron's flagship cuvées. For this vintage, the wine is therefore made from 50 to 60% Jacquère, with Altesse and Roussanne as complementary grape varieties. All these vines grow on different terroirs: schist and limestone, limestone scree in Fréterie, mica schist in Albertville. The grapes are vinified separately and blended approximately two months before bottling. The idea is to be able to precisely control the evolution of the juice and balance the wine according to the behavior of each grape variety. The Jacquères are harvested very ripe and macerated for two to three months with punching down. The Altesses and Roussannes macerate for two to three weeks in carbonic fermentation with some punching down. Aging is one year in 300-liter barrels.

Find out more
Jean-Yves Péron embodies the natural renaissance of the beautiful Savoyard vineyard, which has long suffered from a somewhat flimsy image, not taken seriously enough. Yet, what treasures are produced by its varied soils and its many ancient grape varieties! Near Conflans, in Albertville (Savoie), Jean-Yves Péron skillfully combines committed viticulture and merchant winemaking, both under the banner of nature and high-altitude organic vines. Initially destined for a career in biochemistry, he quickly became drawn to the vine and trained as an oenologist in Bordeaux. He learned his trade as a winemaker with Thierry Allemand in Cornas, then with Bruno Schueller in Alsace, before spending some time in New Zealand and the United States. Jean-Yves' current vineyard, one and a half hectares of biodynamic farming from the start, is divided between Conflans, near Albertville, and Fréterive, a little further downstream in the Isère valley. Composed of micro-plots of vines, it is staggered between 350m and 550m above sea level and is entirely worked by hand. His trading activity, which began in 2011, allows him to buy the harvest from organic winegrowers close to his home (such as Raphaël Marin and Adrien Dacquin). Also, the construction of a new winery in 2017 allows him to increase production and collaborate with winegrowers from Northern Italy: Paolo Angelino in Casale Monferrato (Turin), Giorgio Barbero in Asti. This is a new dimension given to his work as a winemaker, allowing him to diversify the terroirs and deepen his experiences in winemaking and aging.
Jean-Yves Péron's winemaking follows the principles of minimal intervention. On narrow and steep surfaces, his mountain vines receive no synthetic products, Jean-Yves preferring horsetail and nettle manure. The surrounding vegetation is very rich: it protects the vines and helps to strengthen them. The soils are grassed, mown and reworked with a pickaxe and winch. The harvest is entirely manual. Once vatted in whole bunches, the grapes, both red and white, undergo a semi-carbonic maceration which allows the extraction of fresh fruit aromas. This maceration time varies between five days and nine weeks depending on the vintage. The day before or two days before pressing, Jean-Yves performs foot-treading directly in the vat. After this fermentation, the musts are sent to barrels for aging on lees for twelve months in five hundred liter barrels of two or three wines (to limit the woody sensation), followed by blending and resting in vats. No sulfites are added, or as little as possible, and the wines are not fined or filtered.

La Grande Journee Blanc 2020,

Jean-Yves Péron


La Grande Journée is a magnificent "polyphonic" maceration white, a distinguished orange with a layered structure. It will be perfect for any occasion. This cuvée is produced entirely from Jean-Yves's terraced Altesse plot, on mica schist soils. The grapes are harvested at the peak of ripeness (towards the end of September, Altesse being an early-ripening grape variety). They then undergo two weeks of carbonic skin maceration and three months of punching down, until the end of alcoholic fermentation. After racking around the end of December or beginning of January, the wine is aged for at least a year in 300-liter barrels.

To find out more
Jean-Yves Péron embodies the natural renaissance of the beautiful Savoyard vineyard, which has long suffered from a somewhat flimsy image, not taken seriously enough. Yet, what treasures its varied soils and numerous ancient grape varieties produce!
Near Conflans, in Albertville (Savoie), Jean-Yves Péron skillfully combines committed viticulture and merchant winemaking, both under the banner of nature and high-altitude organic vines. Initially destined for a career in biochemistry, he quickly became drawn to the vine and trained as an oenologist in Bordeaux. He learned his trade as a winemaker with Thierry Allemand in Cornas, then with Bruno Schueller in Alsace, before spending some time in New Zealand and the United States. Jean-Yves' current vineyard, one and a half hectares biodynamic since the beginning, is divided between Conflans, near Albertville, and Fréterive, a little further down in the Isère Valley. Made up of micro-plots of vines, it is staggered between 350 m and 550 m above sea level and is worked entirely by hand. His trading activity, which he began in 2011, allows him to buy the harvest from organic winemakers close to his home (such as Raphaël Marin and Adrien Dacquin). Also, the construction of a new winery in 2017 allows him to increase production and collaborate with winemakers from Northern Italy: Paolo Angelino in Casale Monferrato (Turin), Giorgio Barbero in Asti. This is a new dimension given to his work as a winemaker, allowing him to diversify the terroirs and deepen his experiences in winemaking and aging. Jean-Yves Péron's winemaking follows the principles of minimal intervention. On narrow and steep surfaces, his mountain vines receive no synthetic products, Jean-Yves preferring horsetail and nettle manure. The surrounding vegetation is very rich: it protects the vines and helps to strengthen them. The soils are grassed, mown and reworked with a pickaxe and winch. The harvest is entirely manual. Once vatted in whole bunches, the grapes, both red and white, undergo a semi-carbonic maceration which allows the extraction of fresh fruit aromas. This maceration time varies between five days and nine weeks depending on the vintage. The day before or two days before pressing, Jean-Yves performs foot-treading directly in the vat. After this fermentation, the musts are sent to barrels for aging on lees for twelve months in five hundred liter barrels of two or three wines (to limit the oaky sensation), followed by blending and resting in vats. No sulfites are added, or as little as possible, and the wines are not fined or filtered.

Cyprès de Toi Blanc 2021,

Cyprès Base
Wonderfully balanced, taut, yet affable, this all-Chardonnay first delivers a basket of white fruits—ripe and crisp nashi pear, cottage garden pear—which quickly give way to exotic notes on the mid-palate: a delicate touch of mango and apricot. In the background, wild thyme, thyme, garrigue, a hint of fig leaf and fresh lemon. A broad and generous palette that lends itself to any occasion. Shaped by the limestone and blue marl soils of Escales, vinified and aged in stainless steel vats, this wine is seductive, dazzlingly fresh and delicious enough to evoke the most diverse culinary pairings.

To find out more
This Corbières estate is built on solid foundations: its two winemakers, Rodolphe and Laetitia, are also descendants of winemakers. Even before planting their first vine, they already had a clear objective: "to produce southern wines that reflect us, wines with character attached to our soils, with freshness and refined tannins." They want to obtain entirely natural wines, concentrates of terroir. In the heart of the old Corbières massif, they took over an old estate already planted with abandoned Carignan and Grenache vines, which had not seen any fertilizer or pesticides for years: these clean and vibrant soils were ideal conditions for launching into natural wine. Around this historic heart, they first planted Grenache Noir and Syrah, then a plot of white grape varieties: Viognier, Grenache Blanc, Roussanne. The estate has been Ecocert certified since 2010 and also complies with the Nature & Progrès charter. Vinification is carried out without the addition of sulfites or exogenous yeasts. "We make wines for pleasure," say Laetitia and Rodolphe. For them, natural wine is first assessed by taste, from the harvest. The vintages closely follow the plots, the musts are fruity, fluid, and complex. Fond Cyprès wines poetically evoke the estate's ecosystem and the vegetation that protects the plots: pine forests, shaded springs, the beauty of the natural environment that brings freshness to the wines and leaves the signature of the soil. Deliciously balanced between mineral imprint, plant environment and fruit expression, Fond Cyprès wines reflect the South: the caress of its sun, but also the freshness of its shadows.

VéNéNuM Rouge 2018,

Aurélien Lefort
One hundred percent Gamay from Auvergne, VéNéNuM is a red cuvée made in small quantities from vines over a hundred years old, planted in 1904 on red clay soils rich in quartz and granite sand (Lamouret location). Harvested in September, the wine macerated in vats with whole bunches for forty-five days, and aged for eighteen months in vats followed by eleven months in bottle.

Find out more
Established since 2011 in Madriat, near Boudes, in the southern part of Puy-de-Dôme, Aurélien Lefort is an artist (a Fine Arts graduate) with a passion for wine and nature. After training with Michel Auger (Loire) and Patrick Bouju, he decided to move to Auvergne and took over the lease of abandoned vineyards. The Boudes region is an ancient wine-producing land, an exceptional volcanic terroir, warm and vibrant, cultivated for nearly two thousand years. Aurélien's approach is to encourage the revival of this magnificent vineyard. He does this on small areas of stunning pedological diversity: basalt, granite, calcareous red clay, sandy and gravelly clay on quartz flows, and, at the foot of the hillside, marly white clay. On this substrate, the Auvergne trilogy (Gamay, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay) takes the lion's share. In Aurélien's hands, the singular talent of Auvergne Gamay, an ancient grape variety as dense and powerful as it is spicy, which finds a particular expression on these volcanic soils. His plots are grassed but mown to control humidity, and the vines are worked with a pickaxe to prevent the root system from suffocating. The harvest, always manual, can last up to three weeks due to the meticulous sorting of the berries. This is the price Aurélien Lefort pays to create his rare and sought-after vintages, resulting from long macerations (up to three months). Mostly red, sometimes sparkling, sometimes also mellow (late harvest reds), they always leave a lasting, even unforgettable, impression.

Saint Joseph Red 2019

Thierry Alexandre

A feast of violets, blackcurrants, black fruits, morello cherries, magnificent smoky and roasted notes, pepper, and spices; a crisp palate with a hint of astringency. This beautiful, dense, and mineral red from the Saint-Joseph appellation, produced biodynamically, is made from 100% old Syrah vines growing on well-exposed slopes in Saint-Jean-de-Muzols, on the right bank of the Rhône. The soils are complex: loess, decomposed granite, and gneiss. The harvest is entirely manual, and no additives are used in the vineyard or winery. The grapes are lightly crushed and macerated for three weeks in whole bunches, and aged for one year in old barrels. No filtration is carried out before bottling.

Find out more
Thierry Alexandre produces little (two hectares in Saint-Jean-de-Muzols, in Ardèche, and a few vines north of Crozes-Hermitage), but he produces well and carefully, entirely biodynamically and without additives in the vineyard or cellar. His bottles are in the Saint-Joseph, Crozes-Hermitage blanc and Vin de France appellations. The grape varieties are typical of this northern Rhône Valley: Marsanne, Roussanne, Syrah, Viognier. The estate lies on quite varied soils, mainly decomposed granite, as well as gneiss, sandy clay and loess. He practices semicarbonic fermentation in whole bunches for fairly long periods and aging, depending on the vintage, in stainless steel or old barrels. His wines are as rare and sought-after as the winemaker is humble and discreet, but there is nothing haughty or inaccessible about them: pleasant, warm, fluid and well balanced between fruit and mineral, they are wines of pleasure that should be reserved for the most friendly gatherings.

Cul Sec Blanc 2020

Thierry Alexandre
A splendid wine, sumptuously fine and fresh—and it's a Vin de France. The texture is silky and rich, with notes of fresh apple and white peach. Great elegance and purity, a magnificent balance between fruity, floral, and mineral notes. Produced biodynamically and under the Vin de France appellation, Cul sec blanc is the faithful expression of its terroir in the northern Rhône Valley: it is made from Viognier and Marsanne grown biodynamically on granite and gneiss soils in Saint-Jean-de-Muzols, on the banks of the Ardèche near its mouth. The harvest is entirely manual, in small containers, and no inputs are used in the vineyard or the winery. The grapes stay in a cold room while awaiting direct pressing, which is done slowly and gently to extract the best from the fruit. This step is followed by settling, after which the must goes into stainless steel vats to ferment with natural yeasts. The aging is one year, also in stainless steel vats.

To find out more
Thierry Alexandre produces little (two hectares in Saint-Jean-de-Muzols, in Ardèche, and a few vines north of Crozes-Hermitage), but he produces well and carefully, all biodynamically and without additives in the vineyard or cellar. His bottles are in the Saint-Joseph, Crozes-Hermitage blanc and Vin de France appellations. The grape varieties are typical of this northern Rhône Valley: Marsanne, Roussanne, Syrah, Viognier. The estate rests on quite varied soils, mainly decomposed granite, as well as gneiss, sandy clay and loess. He practices semicarbonic fermentation in whole bunches for fairly long periods and aging, depending on the vintage, in stainless steel or old barrels. His wines are as rare and sought-after as the winemaker is humble and discreet, but there is nothing haughty or inaccessible about them: pleasant, warm, fluid and well balanced between fruit and mineral, they are wines of pleasure that should be reserved for the most friendly gatherings.

On the Rock Again 2020,

Nicolas Chemarin
Deep, mineral, and hyper-complex yet highly drinkable, On The Rock Again presents a purple color with violet highlights. Its nose is floral (violet), carrying notes of wet rock and spices. The attack evokes ripe red fruits (raspberry, cherry). The aftertaste is long and lively with great salinity. The tannins, melted and elegant, give the wine a very pleasant roundness. This Gamay Noir à jus blanc cuvée directly alludes, through its title, to the omnipresent, outcropping rock of the Marchampts terroir, directly transmitting its earthy notes to the Gamay. The minerality of this superb hillside Beaujolais red, classified as a Vin de France, should come as no surprise. We recommend tasting at 12°C and uncorking, or even decanting, half an hour to an hour before serving this wine. The harvest is vatted by gravity, in whole bunches. Vatting lasts fifteen days at a controlled temperature (5 to 18°C), without pumping over. After pressing, the cuvée is aged in vats on fine lees for ten months. Bottled in the waning moon, in August following the harvest, without filtration or the addition of sulfites.

To find out more
Nicolas Chemarin, nicknamed "P'tit Grobis" as a resident of Marchampt (Beaujolais), is the fourth generation of winemaker on his family wine estate in the Beaujolais-Villages appellation, on stony land where he crafts wines of surprising depth and sincerity. In 2005, he took over two hectares of vines from his father and in 2006 he produced his first vintages. In 2008, he acquired other vines and decided to devote himself solely to his estate, whose very steep terroir consists of poor, rocky soils on gray granite rock. The vines rest on the bedrock through very thin soil, and their roots plunge deep into the rock. Depending on the configuration of the soil, the vines are pruned in goblet or raised on stakes. Their average age is eighty years. The grape varieties, Gamay and Chardonnay, are classically Beaujolais. Nicolas also cultivates two other terroirs in the Régnié appellation: Les Bullats, with light, filtering sandy soils, and La Haute Ronze, very close to Morgon, whose deeper, clayey soils produce full-bodied wines. The vintages undergo long macerations (from 18 to 30 days) with punching down and temperature control (Nicolas works cold, around 20°C). The aging is done partially in thermoregulated concrete vats for a third, the remaining two thirds passing into barrels of four to ten wines in order to provide oxygenation but little or no woody sensation. Nicolas Chemarin is already very well known in the natural world for his sweet and fruity vintages, wines of pleasure, and for vintages from difficult and magnificent terroirs, provided with admirable and complex mineral, aromatic and spicy notes.

Je t'ai dans la peau White, 2018

Nicolas Chemarin

Deep, earthy, and extremely complex, this orange wine has a beautiful old gold color and delicately oxidative notes of walnut and hazelnut, leading to an exotic fruity palette. Plenty of character and considerable promise for its evolution. As its name suggests, Je t'ai dans la peau is all about the skin. Grape skin, of course, since it's a macerated white, an experiment Nicolas has carried out with various nuances since 2009 to create wines with a strong personality. The goal is not to obtain exuberant orange wines like those from Italy or the South, but rather controlled macerations with fruit and depth. The harvest comes from the same plot as P’tit Grobis blanc: all Chardonnay of course, on stony granite soils. The 2017 vintage is made using pure maceration. This is short: five to seven days. Aging is three years in barrels. A superb balance to savor, to be classified without hesitation in the category of crazy Beaujolais.

To find out more
Nicolas Chemarin, nicknamed P’tit Grobis as a resident of Marchampt (Beaujolais), is the fourth generation of winemaker on his family vineyard in the Beaujolais-Villages appellation, on stony land where he crafts wines of surprising depth and sincerity. In 2005, he took over two hectares of his father's vines and in 2006, he produced his first vintages. In 2008, he acquired other vines and decided to devote himself solely to his estate, whose very steep terroir consists of poor, rocky soils on gray granite rock. The vines rest on the bedrock through very thin soil, and their roots plunge deep into the rock. Depending on the configuration of the soil, the vines are pruned in goblet form or raised on stakes. Their average age is eighty years. The grape varieties, Gamay and Chardonnay, are classically Beaujolais. Nicolas also cultivates two other terroirs in the Régnié appellation: Les Bullats, with light, filtering sandy soils, and La Haute Ronze, very close to Morgon, whose deeper, clayey soils produce full-bodied wines. The wines undergo long macerations (from 18 to 30 days) with punching down and temperature control (Nicolas works cold, around 20 °C). The aging is partially done in thermoregulated concrete vats for a third, the remaining two thirds being spent in barrels of four to ten wines in order to provide oxygenation but little or no woody sensation. Nicolas Chemarin is already well known in the natural world for his sweet and fruity vintages, wines for pleasure, and for vintages from difficult and magnificent terroirs, endowed with admirable and complex mineral, aromatic and spicy notes.

Volnay 1er Cru Les Roncerets Rouge 2020,

Domaine de Chassorney


On the nose, strawberry, candied fruit, and spices. On the palate, blackberry, blackcurrant, and cherry. This robust, great wine for laying down, which can be left for a while before drinking and will age magnificently, comes from vines around forty years old. The twelve-month aging process is carried out mainly in barrels, a third of which are new oak.

Find out more
Through his entirely natural work, Frédéric Cossard gives voice to the terroirs and Burgundy wines, undistorted by agricultural chemicals. Having observed, during his years of trading, the existence of harmful wine-growing practices, the winemaker used this counter-example to practice unadulterated viticulture. Thus, he produces vintages of purity and elegance without artifice which are among the most sought-after in Burgundy. Frédéric worked for a time as a wine broker before creating the Chassorney estate with his partner Laure in 1996: initially a few ares of vines in Saint-Romain, Auxey-Duresses and Savigny-lès-Beaune, and currently ten hectares spread across the Nuits-Saint-Georges, Pommard, Volnay, Bourgogne-Hautes-Côtes-de-Beaune and Bourgogne appellations. In 2006, he created his own wine merchant company and purchased organic grapes to vinify, according to his style and convictions, great vintages such as Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet, Pommard, Nuits-Saint-Georges, Chambolle-Musigny, Vosne-Romanée and several Beaujolais vintages. The practice is not limited to Burgundy, as vintages are made from grapes purchased in the Jura, Languedoc and elsewhere. At his place, the work of the soil and the vines is done as naturally as possible: regular plowing by horse, no addition of chemical fertilizers or weedkillers. The vines are cared for according to the principles of biodynamics: homeopathic treatments based on essential oils, copper and sulfur in minimal doses. The harvest is entirely manual, carried out at full maturity, at the end of October. Red or white, classic Burgundies or more atypical or less "regional" bottles, Frédéric's vintages are rare and sought-after wines, which sometimes require waiting.

Magnum Pinot Noir 2020

Domaine Einhart
A velvety, ripe red, 100% Pinot Noir, with an intense, fragrant, and gently fruity aroma. The deep, purplish color evokes black cherry. The initial nose is enhanced by aromas of black fruits (blackberry, blackcurrant, black cherry) with a hint of freshness blended into a light vanilla woodiness. The second nose is more open, with aromas of blood orange, bitter almond, and kirsch. On the palate, the berries are still present, supported by present but well-melted tannins, leading to a velvety finish resting on a lovely freshness. Plenty of persistence and length. The Pinot Noirs from which it is made, aged around thirty years, grow on the muschelkalk (shell limestone) terroirs of Dittelsberg-Albermohn and are harvested by hand, then destemmed. Maceration, using indigenous yeasts, takes between ten and twelve days. Aging for one year on fine lees, in demi-muids, precedes bottling without filtration. From the vine to the cellar, this wine was made without any additives. Decanting is recommended so that it can fully express its finesse and grace.

To find out more
Located in the northern part of the Alsatian vineyard, horizontally above Strasbourg, the Einhart estate is a ten-hectare family estate whose vines are located on the hillsides that rise between the Alsace plain and the Vosges mountains. The soil is clay-limestone and rich in fossils (muschelkalk, i.e. shell limestone and oolite limestone, and lettenkohle or dolomitic limestone). Since 1990, Nicolas Einhart has been at the helm, now assisted by his son Théo. True to his commitments to the TIFLO association, of which he is co-founder, Nicolas devotes his winemaking work to protecting the land and biodiversity, winemaking without inputs, refusing harmful phytosanitary products and maintaining ecological refuge areas. His estate has been certified organic since 2011. Like Jean-Marc Dreyer, he is resolutely moving towards skin maceration and produces white maceration wines (orange wines) in addition to a Pinot Noir red. Entirely manual harvesting, destemming of the bunches, light punching down and delicate pressing are characteristic of the estate, as well as the separate vinification of each terroir, aging on lees and the absence of filtration before bottling. The wines are pure grape, lively, powerful, invigorating, and transcribe the minerality of the very beautiful terroirs of the Vosges foothills.

White Riesling 2020

Domaine Einhart
Riesling, the lord of Eastern grape varieties, finds here an expression worthy of its nobility. The color is a beautiful orange-yellow. The initial nose is very refined, slightly musky, with notes of grapefruit and dandelion. The second nose is fresher and mineral, with aromas of thyme, aromatic herbs, and flint. The palate begins with liveliness and beautiful verticality; the minerality is typical of limestone. Dried herbs return before a persistent finish with a remarkable salinity. Light skin maceration is successful in Riesling, and this one is no exception. The twenty-five-year-old vines grow on the muschelkalk (oolitic limestone) terroirs of Westerberg, Molsheimgass, and Fleckstein. The grapes are harvested by hand and then destemmed. Maceration, using indigenous yeasts, takes between four and eight days. Aging on fine lees is ten months in tuns, followed by bottling without filtration. From the vine to the cellar, this wine was made without any additives. Decanting is recommended so that it can spread its wings and express its mineral notes.

Find out more
Located in the northern part of the Alsatian vineyard, horizontally above Strasbourg, the Einhart estate is a ten-hectare family estate whose vines are located on the hillsides that rise between the Alsace plain and the Vosges mountains. The soil is clay-limestone and rich in fossils (muschelkalk, i.e. shell limestone and oolite limestone, and lettenkohle or dolomitic limestone). Since 1990, Nicolas Einhart has been at the helm, now assisted by his son Théo. True to his commitments to the TIFLO association, of which he is co-founder, Nicolas devotes his winemaking work to the protection of the land and biodiversity, winemaking without inputs, the refusal of harmful phytosanitary products and the maintenance of ecological refuge zones. His estate has been certified organic since 2011. Like Jean-Marc Dreyer, he is resolutely moving towards skin maceration and produces white maceration wines (orange wines) in addition to a Pinot Noir red. Entirely manual harvesting, destemming of the bunches, light punching down and delicate pressing are characteristic of the estate, as well as the separate vinification of each terroir, aging on lees and the absence of filtration before bottling. The wines are pure grape, lively, powerful, invigorating, and transcribe the minerality of the very beautiful terroirs of the Vosges foothills.

Hip Hip Chardonnay Savagnin Blanc 2018

Domaine de l’Octavin
Vibrant acidity and freshness balanced by beautiful aromatic notes, exotic fruits, and a lovely touch of tannins and spices—this is the Hip Hip cuvée, dedicated to the two white grape varieties typical of the Arbois region. Alice Bouvot vinifies various local white and red grape varieties under this name. This Chardonnay-Savagnin version is the result of a two-month whole-bunch maceration. Pressing is followed by a year of aging in vats. The long maceration gives Alice Bouvot the opportunity to highlight the most aromatic aspects of these two grape varieties: exotic fruits, vibrant acidity, a lovely touch of tannins and spices. A magnificent balance between dryness and suppleness. Truly made for all pairings.

Learn more
“You don’t need anything,” says Alice Bouvot, winemaker at Domaine de l’Octavin, “just a grape that feels good in its skin.” Everything is said in favor of natural wine; it’s a perfect description. Created in 2005, Domaine d’Alice is located in Arbois, in the wine-growing Jura region, often described as the most organic vineyard in France. The practice of making – among other things – oxidative wines is a good preparation for natural wine, as this type of wine does not allow any chemical additives and especially no sulfites. It’s a secret of this magnificent region. Originally spread over two hectares, the estate, managed entirely biodynamically (Demeter) since 2010, has expanded through the gradual acquisition of plots and now covers seven hectares.

An accomplished musician and passionate music lover, Alice intends to apply her musical sensitivity to the wines she makes. She draws a parallel between the technical perfection of conventional wines which risks excluding feeling, while "a musician who does not know music theory and plays with his guts creates emotion." For her, living wine is like this: instinctive, improvised, emotional. Introduced to natural wine by Stéphane Planche, sommelier at chef Jean-Paul Jeunet in Arbois, she will faithfully follow this path. The sometimes whimsical titles of her vintages are inspired sometimes by musical art (Dorabella, Zerline), sometimes by the numerous plots of land that make up her vineyard (En Curon, Les Corvées, En Poussot, etc.), and do not disdain a pun from time to time. Likewise, the labels adorned with happy and salacious little gnomes are a signature of the estate. As for the grape varieties, they are the classics of the Jura - Poulsard, Trousseau, Pinot Noir for the reds, and Chardonnay, Savagnin for the whites. Alongside her Arbois wines, Alice has created a business of "on the vine" grapes (Ecocert certified) with her winegrower friends from the region. Natural, committed, joyful and highly drinkable, the wines of Alice Bouvot are all the more coveted as the vintages, produced in plot-by-plot mode, appear, disappear and reappear depending on the vintage and inspiration.

Magnum Pamina Blanc 2018

Domaine de l'Octavin
A wonderful freshness characterizes this Pamina, a lovely crisp and aromatic white, 100% Chardonnay, produced biodynamically from white and gray marl soils typical of the Arbois region. Well balanced between lightness and power, supported by superb acidity and enhanced by a yeasty and herbaceous touch, it will accompany grilled white meats or fish, or any savory dish containing puff or shortcrust pastry: vol-au-vent, quiches, croustades…

To find out more
“You don’t need anything,” says Alice Bouvot, winemaker at Domaine de l’Octavin, “just a grape that feels good in its skin.” Everything is said in favor of natural wine, it’s a perfect description. Created in 2005, Domaine d’Alice is located in Arbois, in this wine-growing Jura often described as the most organic vineyard in France. The habit of making – among other things – oxidative wines is a good preparation for natural wine, this type of wine does not allow any chemical additives and especially no sulfites. It’s a secret of this magnificent region. Originally spread over two hectares, the estate, managed entirely biodynamically (Demeter) since 2010, has expanded through the gradual acquisition of plots and now covers seven hectares.

An accomplished musician and passionate music lover, Alice intends to apply her musical sensitivity to the wines she makes. She draws a parallel between the technical perfection of conventional wines which risks excluding feeling, while "a musician who does not know music theory and plays with his guts creates emotion." For her, living wine is like this: instinctive, improvised, emotional. Introduced to natural wine by Stéphane Planche, sommelier at chef Jean-Paul Jeunet in Arbois, she will faithfully follow this path. The sometimes whimsical titles of her vintages are inspired sometimes by musical art (Dorabella, Zerline), sometimes by the numerous plots of land that make up her vineyard (En Curon, Les Corvées, En Poussot, etc.), and do not disdain a pun from time to time. Likewise, the labels adorned with happy and salacious little gnomes are a signature of the estate. As for the grape varieties, they are the classics of the Jura - Poulsard, Trousseau, Pinot Noir for the reds, and Chardonnay, Savagnin for the whites. Alongside her Arbois wines, Alice has created a business of "on the vine" grapes (Ecocert certified) with her winegrower friends from the region. Natural, committed, joyful and highly drinkable, the wines of Alice Bouvot are all the more coveted as the vintages, produced in plot-by-plot mode, appear, disappear and reappear depending on the vintage and inspiration.

La Désirée Blanc 2018,

La Grapperie
In the Coteaux du Loir appellation, La Grapperie is the name of Renaud Guettier's estate, which can be described as a master of Chenin, but also of Pineau d'Aunis, one of the oldest grape varieties in the Loire Valley. His principle, he explains, is "to produce complex, rich wines with good aging potential and imbued with the minerality of their terroir." The vines are located on hillsides between 60 and 120 meters above sea level, protected from the north winds by the Bercé forest. Depending on the altitude, the terroirs are dominated by clay (at the bottom of the slope), flint (mid-slope), or sand (at the top). The 60-hectare vineyard comprises around fifteen plots. The grape varieties are the two traditionally permitted in the appellation: Chenin for the whites and Pineau d'Aunis for 90% of the reds, the remainder consisting of a few acres of Côt, Gamay, and Grolleau. The average age of the vines is seventy years, including almost two hectares of century-old vines and one and a half hectares of vines aged between sixty and eighty years. Convinced of the enormous potential that these old vines can bring to his vintages, Renaud has been meticulous in restoring the vineyard. The entire estate is farmed organically. The soils are worked, and all viticultural interventions are manual, including the harvest, which is carried out at full maturity, which is reflected in the fullness and smoothness of the wines. For the reds, the Pineaux d'Aunis are partially destemmed (depending on the plot) and the macerations are quite long, three to four weeks, with punching down, to promote aging potential. The wines are aged in barrels for between twelve and twenty-four months, then racked, blended and bottled without filtration. For the whites, the Chenins are pressed directly at low pressure and then poured into barrels by gravity. Fermentation takes place in barrels, using indigenous yeasts, with complete malolactic fermentation, for at least eighteen months and sometimes up to thirty-six months.
Désirée is an all-Chenin obtained from flint clay on a limestone base at an altitude of 100 meters. The vines are between fifty and one hundred and fifteen years old. The grapes are processed by direct pressing and all the work on the juices and wines is done by gravity. Aging is twenty-four months on lees in barrels in cellars dug into the tuffeau. It is a wine that one undresses with the eye, which seduces with its nose of bitter almond, prolonged in the mouth by tenderly buttery notes, touches of white fruits and nuts, counterbalanced by a very clear acidity.

Auxey Duresses Les Crais Blanc 2019,

Domaine de Chassorney
Through his entirely natural work, Frédéric Cossard gives voice to the terroirs and Burgundy wines, undistorted by agricultural chemicals. Having observed, during his years of trading, the existence of harmful viticultural practices, the winemaker used this counterexample to practice unadulterated viticulture. Thus, he produces vintages of purity and elegance without artifice that are among the most sought-after in Burgundy. Frédéric worked for some time as a wine broker before creating the Chassorney estate with his partner Laure in 1996: initially a few ares of vines in Saint-Romain, Auxey-Duresses and Savigny-lès-Beaune, and currently ten hectares spread across the Nuits-Saint-Georges, Pommard, Volnay, Bourgogne-Hautes-Côtes-de-Beaune and Bourgogne appellations. In 2006, he created his own wine trading house and buys organic grapes to vinify, according to his style and convictions, great vintages such as Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet, Pommard, Nuits-Saint-Georges, Chambolle-Musigny, Vosne-Romanée and several Beaujolais crus. The exercise is not limited to Burgundy, as vintages are made from grapes purchased in the Jura or Languedoc. At his place, the work of the soil and the vines is done as naturally as possible: regular plowing by horse, no addition of chemical fertilizers or weedkillers. The vines are cared for according to the principles of biodynamics: homeopathic treatments based on essential oils, copper, and sulfur in minimal doses. The harvest is entirely manual, carried out at full maturity, at the end of October. Red or white, classic Burgundies or more atypical or less "regional" bottles, Frédéric's vintages are rare and sought-after wines, which sometimes require waiting.
This white Auxey-Duresses produced on the Crais plot is remarkably pure in expression. The maturity of the grapes is exceptional and is felt in the form of a pleasant roundness and generous fruit. Lots of straightness, elegance, complexity and tension.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.

Sans Ordonnance Rouge 2019,

Les Vignes du Domaine du Temps
This estate is located in Cabardès, a small region of Languedoc that was once a subdivision of Cathar Country. Stretching from the southern slope of the Montagne Noire to the city of Carcassonne, it is bordered to the west by the Lauragais and to the east by the Minervois. Hilly, wild, and rich in Mediterranean flora, it is a preserved ecosystem, especially since the Domaine du Temps, in the Font Juvénal area, is a magical place: around a former 18th-century priory, sixty hectares of forests and scrubland protect thirteen hectares of vineyards on stony clay-limestone soils. The balance between dryness and coolness is a boon for viticulture, with a wide range of grape varieties. In addition to the Languedoc grape varieties (Syrah, Grenache, Roussanne, Viognier, Muscat), Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Sémillon, and Chenin are grown. The estate has been Ecocert certified since 1998, is entirely managed biodynamically, and has been dedicated to natural wine since 2015. The work in the vineyard and cellar is methodical, rigorous, and attentive: only the best grapes are kept, resulting in small yields, and destemming is decided based on the ripeness of the bunch. The reds are vinified using carbonic maceration of individual grape varieties, with the blending taking place before the year's aging. The whites are slowly and gently pressed to extract only the best from the grapes. These precautions produce smooth, controlled wines of great integrity, with very supple tannins. They are fresh, delicious, and expressive.
Made of equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, it evokes a Bordeaux blend. Yes, but... both varieties grew under the Cathar sun and, in addition to the freshness and seriousness of the Gironde model, offer very different, sunny, and generous notes. Vinification is done in concrete vats after destemming, before aging for twelve months in old barrels. This wine confirms the straightforwardness that is the style of the estate, and the melting tannins are remarkable: no astringency, but fruit, maturity, minerality, a note of plum and salinity on the finish. Fresh, ripe, and balanced, it is a solid barrel that will lend itself to all occasions and all meals.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.